30

I'm only going to be 30 for the next few months.  Some people would find this fact terribly disheartening.  As someone who has waiting their entire life for their body to catch up to their mind, I am thrilled.  My thirties so far have been fantastic.  Mind you, I never said the circumstances I have found myself or my little family in during the last year have been fantastic- that would indeed be a falsehood.  But I can with complete confidence say that I'm pretty sure, based upon what I've already learned this year, my thirties are going to be way better than the last decade.  Here's a short review of what 30 has taught me:

1.  I can cry unashamedly during a Disney movie in the theater.

2. I can actually go see said Disney movie in the theater because I can pretend I'm going for the sake of my child.

3.  When my husband tells me how beautiful I am, I know he really thinks so.  (and even though I still, occasionally refute the remark by interjecting some silly notion about losing a few pounds, or not wearing any make-up, or not showering in a few days, I really believe him).

4.  Being married gets sexier as you get older together.  TRUTH. No elaborations required. Why don't people tell you that? They should.

5.  I can wear red lipstick and cut all of my hair off and laugh at dirty jokes and openly admit that I have NEVER read through the entire Lord of the Rings because they're-gasp-sooooooooooooooooooooo boring.  There it is.  An open admission from a former High School English Teacher.

6.  I can say shit.  Both literally and meaning, lots of stuff that comes to my mind.  Because I know who I am and who I was crafted to be and I don't have to choose a part to play or someone else to mimic.

7.  I can raise my daughter to love Jesus and teach her to love her neighbor and make her take piano lessons and not hold her too tightly all the while learning how to be a daughter.

8.  I am so loved.  Like, really loved.  God loves me, adopted me as a daughter, and provides for me.  He is more faithful than anyone. I eat His words like food, I relish the time I get to spend with Him, and for the first time, perhaps ever, I feel like I'm finally beginning to understand the depth and the breadth of the love that he has for me. what he did for me.  And how he would do it again.  It's transformed my household and my heart.

9.  I grew a human being in my body.  It looks like I did.  I learned to deal with it and stop waiting to buy fantastic clothes until I was 20 lbs skinnier.  That's just dumb.

10.  There is nothing like family, good friends and good food. Absolutely nothing.